TV Asia Chairman receives Padma Shri award

TV Asia Chairman H.R. Shah received the Padma Shri award from Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on April 13. Shah received India’s fourth highest civilian honor in the field of Literature & Education – Journalism. Shah, who has lived in the United States for 46 years, is originally from Bahadarpur, Gujarat. Two other Indian-Americans named for this year’s Padma Shri award include Ustad Imrat Khan in the field of Art-Music and Anant Agarwal in the field of Literature & Education.

Sha is also chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (USA), an institution dedicated to literature, culture, education, music and arts. He has devoted his life to community service as well as fostering close relations between India and the United States through his many endeavors and enterprises over the years.

A recipient of the 2005 Ellis Island Medal of Honor he is also a well-known entrepreneur, philanthropist and community leader. With TV Asia, Shah is the first NRI to run a 24/7 TV station in North America. He is also the first NRI to own a chain store business anywhere in the world – Krauszer’s Food Stores.